Speak Now
by JustAnotherMisfit13
Summary: Years have passed since the days of Degrassi, and Clare Edwards is going to marry the suppose love of her life, Jake. What happens when a certain green eyed boy shows up? One-shot. Based on the song "Speak Now" by Taylor Swift


**Author's note: Wow, I'm actually proud of this one! ^^ This was originally going to be a part of a series of one-shots based on songs, but this is the only one I managed to get done. So why not post it right? I like it, though I feel like the ending was rushed XP Oh well, tell me what you think please! :D  
>Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi, 'cause if I did Eclare would stay together forever, Fitz would get what he deserved for treating Adam like that, Jake wouldn't exist, etc etc.<strong>

Eli sat, crumbled in the corner of the couch, consuming himself with alcohol, the T.V and whatever was left in his cupboards. He just wanted to hide away today, be unseen by the world and drink his troubles away. Most of all, he wanted to forget what today was. And what is today you might ask? Well,

Today is Eli's love of his life, Clare Edwards, wedding day.

He had tried so hard to forget about it, forget her, but it was impossible. After what he had done to her, and vice versa, he still loved her more than anything.  
>Today she was marring her suppose love of her life, Jake Martin. They had graduated high school together, and in about year of living with eachother he had proposed. Being a year older, Eli graduated from Degrassi before them and moved on with his life. He was a writer and already has a book published, but found it a million times harder without his muse. A few months before, he walked back into the streets of Degrassi and met up with Clare. They had patched everything up since the shooting and near death of their friend Adam, and the two were very upset when it came to Eli's graduation and saying goodbye. He had planned on coming back, and telling her how he feels about her. He thought he would be able to actually do it. That is, until he saw her engagement ring on her finger and she told him. It was utter hell.<br>He had been invited of course, but told Clare he couldn't make it because he knew he wouldn't be able to handle it. Now, he sat in his living room trying to ignore what was going on outside of his home.  
>Suddenly there was rapping on his door and before he could yell at whoever it was to leave, the door opened and in came his best friend Adam.<br>"Dude, what are you still doing here?" Adam demanded  
>"I dunno." Eli shrugged, not coming up with a better response. He was in no mood to have a chat.<br>"Uh, hello!" Adam snatched the wedding invitation off of the coffee table and waved it in his face "Its Clare's wedding! Aren't you coming?"  
>"Adam, you know me better then anyone. You know I won't be able to take it, Clare with <em>him<em>."  
>"You survived watching them in high school."<br>"This is different Adam!" Eli yelled "Their getting _married_. It's more then a puppy love relationships in high school." Silence for a minute  
>"You guys had more then puppy love…" Adam muttered and Eli's heart stung<br>"Yeah well, great for us." Eli growled "Now if you excuse me, why don't you hurry along to the happy couples wedding while I sit here in the silence." He tried to take another sip of his drink, but Adam quickly ripped it out of his hand.  
>"Adam, seriously-"<br>"Eli just shut up a minute." He placed the drink on the table, and sat down next to him  
>"As hard as you try to hide it, everyone can see your still in love with Clare. Now, I'm not saying you should break them up or anything but she has a right to know Eli. You should tell her."<br>"Adam that's a suicide mission!"  
>"Just hear me out! If you don't tell her know, you never can. You only get so many chances at love Eli, take this one before it's gone." Adam put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.<br>Before Eli could give it anymore thought, he leaped up from the couch without a word and grabbed his car keys.  
>Commence suicide mission.<p>

x.x.x

Clare studied herself in the mirror, trying to press out imaginary wrinkled in her wedding gown. She sighed. Today was the day. Her wedding day.  
>She hadn't really seen the proposal coming. When it happened, she was too quick to say yes. She did love Jake. She did. But she wasn't really <em>in<em> love with him. The last boy she has been in love with had emerald green eyes and a smirk that made her heart stop…  
>Clare was pretty upset when Eli had told her he couldn't come. He had told her that an important meeting with his publishers had sprung up on him, but he had told her over the phone and in a flat monotone voice, like it had been rehearsed. Clare knew Eli hated confrontation. She really wanted him there, smirk and all. But, you can't always have it your way.<br>There was a knock on the door, and Clare's maid of honor, Alli, stepped in.  
>"Clare you look gorgeous!" Alli squealed and Clare put on a small smile.<br>"You look great too." Alli was all dressed up in her bridesmaid dress and hair done up. She walked up and linked arms with the blue eyed girl.  
>"Nervous?"<br>"Little bit." Clare admitted. She didn't know if she was ready for this.  
>"Don't be! Jakes a great guy, you two are going to be so happy together!" Alli chirped and Clare smiled. Same old Alli.<br>"He is, I'm just…" Clare trailed off  
>"What?"<br>"I'm just, upset some people couldn't come." Besides Eli, Darcy couldn't make it either. She just hoped Alli would see threw it and know she meant more than one person.  
>"You mean, your upset Eli couldn't come." Alli corrected and Clare sighed inwardly. Alli was her bestfriend, she knows Clare inside and out.<br>"Well he is a good friend and I wanted all the people a really care about here." she tried. Alli grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so they were face to face  
>"Clare" she began slowly "It is Jake you want up there on the alter, <em>right<em>?" Clare rolled her eyes and scoffed at her, pretending to have no idea what she was talking about.  
>"Of course Alli! Don't be ridiculous." Her friend smiled once more and took her hand<br>"Then it's time to go." Clare sucked in a huge breath and followed Alli out the door.

x.x.x

Eli's hands deathly gripped the steering wheel till his knuckles went white. He was going probably going a bit too far over the speed limit and he was zooming in and out of other cars 'causing them to honk angrily. But he couldn't waste time. Invitation on the dashboard, he quickly read the address and soon enough reached the church in no time. He parked a few blocks away, ran to the church and found the back exit knowing he couldn't be seen coming on through the front door. He opened the door, cringing as it creaked but no one took notice. He shrunk along the back and hid behind a fancy draped curtain. Peeking out, he got a better look at what was going on. People were sat along the pews, talking amongst themselves, the preacher stood at the front, along with some of Jake's pals and the groom himself, all dressed up in a tux  
><em>"He looks like a penguin."<em> Eli thought to himself.  
>Soon the room hushed as the doors opened and bridesmaids walked in. Alli, Jenna, and a few others. Finally, it was Clare's turn and when she entered all of Eli's breath was taken away.<br>_"She's...oh my god…" _Beautiful seemed like an insult to describe Clare. Her white gown flowed behind her and a handful of cut baby's breath was tucked behind her ear. Eli couldn't take her eyes off of her…  
>She gracefully walked down the aisle with her father and soon departed from him to the alter where her groom stood.<br>It should be him up there. Not Jake. He should be with Clare.  
>And hopefully, if this crazy plan worked, he might be.<p>

x.x.x

Clare had to admit, she was a bit frightened. Luckily, her mother and Alli were able to calm her. They waited outside the doors till they got the signal to walk in. First went in was Alli, then Jenna and her other bridesmaids. Then, she linked arms with her father and entered. All eyes were on her, with smiles and looks of awe. She blushed, not really used to all this attention. She looked up at her father, pride gleaming out of his eyes. Clare knew both of her parents were happy with her choice of Jake. They both loved him and trusted him. She knew they were both just glad it wasn't Eli. She could only imagine what would happen to them if it really was Eli  
><em>"No<em>" Clare scolded herself _"This is you and _Jake's_ wedding. Not Eli…" _But when she saw a sandy haired, hazel eyed boy at the end of the aisle, she secretly wished she saw a dark haired, green eyed boy instead.  
>Soon as she walked up to the alter, the preacher began. They did everything you would see in a wedding, with their own vows and everything. After saying their I dos, the next line started up thoughts in Clare's mind<br>"If there is anyone who believes these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."  
>Clare had seen this scene in romance movies all the time. Where the bride's true love would object and tell her he loves her, and the bride realizes she's still in love with him too. But that wouldn't happen here.<br>He had a meeting with his publishers.  
>The preacher was seconds away from carrying on, till there was sudden outburst<br>"I object!" Everyone's heads whipped around to see a dark haired, green eyed boy standing at the back of the church.  
>"<em>Eli<em>…." Clare whispered

x.x.x

Everyone's eyes were on Eli with shocked or angry looks. He was used to it, people always judged the boy who wore all black. Only this time it made him want to run out and not look back. But he wouldn't give up. He swallowed hard and with shaky hands walked up the aisle. Eli ripped his gaze off of the ground and to Clare's blue eyes filled with shock and amazement.  
>"Ok, first let me say how sorry I am for objecting. I don't mean to ruin it. But…it was now or never. Clare…I'm an absolute idiot. For everything I ever did. You didn't deserve to have all my problems pushed onto you. I was stupid for actually thinking crashing Morty would keep you with me. And then for thinking I could leave Degrassi and not feel broken hearted. I'm..I'm so screwed up. But…" His words caught in his throat trying to spill out his emotions. He could feel angry glares bore into the back of his head, which didn't help at all.<br>"But _you_ Clare…you're perfect. Sweet and kind, god knows why you picked me of all the guys those years ago. You're an angel, always seeing the good side of people no matter how evil they could be. You're always so hard on yourself, saying that you're not in any way beautiful. Who knew you could be such a lair?" he grinned and she gave off a small smile that gave him courage to continue "Your more then beautiful. How your auburn curls bounce and frame your angelic face. Your blue eyes that make a sunny cloudless day seem dark and dreary. Perfection.  
>I'd give anything to go back and fix my mistakes from my teenage years. But I was stupid. So stupid. And this is your wedding day. I'm sure you don't want your crazy ex coming in. Now that you know, I can leave you to have a life with Jake. Or at least try. Goodbye Clare Edwards…" He turned to leave before the guests brought out their pitch forks and hung him by his neck. He thought he had managed to get away, he felt a hand grasp his arm and spin him around to be matched with a pair of blue eyes.<br>"Eli…" she started, looking me deep in the eye "Moving on always seems so easy. They always make it seem easy in movies, or books. Since we were on good terms, I told myself it would be simple to get over you. But I guess you're right, I can be quite a liar." she smiled and he graced her with that smirk of his.  
>"No matter how screwed up you think you are, your more amazing then you think. The only person who can still get under my skin with those stupid sarcastic remarks and smirk, and yet the only one who can really make me blush. I love how you're your own person, and don't care what people think of you. You're different. You've always made me feel like I'm invincible, as if there isn't anything I can't do. You and those green eyes. And I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how much you really did need me. Or how long it took me to see that <em>you<em>, are the person I'm meant to be with. And if you will…" Clare had slipped her hands into his, and now he reached up and solemnly pushed a curl out of her teary eyes. "take me back…?"  
>He smiled, yes and actual smile, at her and was about to kiss her in response. He was, until Jake stepped in between the two looking pretty angry.<br>"Back off Eli." Jake seethed "I should've known better then to trust you."  
>"Jake, "Clare started, stepping around him to put a hand on Eli's shoulder "I-"<br>"Get away from him!" He yelled, grabbing her arm and causing her to yelp in pain. Before Eli could figure out how Jake would react, he angrily pushed him away from Clare making him release her grip  
>"Don't you dare hurt her!" He growled. Jake then, without thinking, attacked Eli and the whole room developed into chaos. Both Jake and Clare's fathers tried to pull the two apart, everyone got up from their seats and rushed over. During all that, Clare's mother snatched her arm and pulled her off to the side<br>"Clare Diane Edwards, what on earth was that?" Helen snapped  
>"Mom I'm sorry, but I meant all of that. I love Eli more then I ever loved Jake. And I know this isn't how you planed it, but it's how it's meant to be."<br>"I won't allow it! I don't trust that boy! Wait here while I get your father." She quickly ran over to her ex-husband, who have been on good terms thanks to the wedding which Clare had been relieved by. The two fathers had managed to break apart the fight and everyone had surrounded Jake, who had a bloody nose. Eli still stood on the aisle, away from everyone. Trying not to be seen, Clare snuck around them and grabbed Eli by the wrist.  
>"My mom's getting my dad." She warned him. He slid his hands into hers and smirked<br>"Feeling adventurous blue eyes?" She bit on her bottom lip and couldn't stop herself from grinning and nodding. Hand in hand, they ran out the church doors unnoticed to Eli's car. Clare managed to stuff her dress into the vechile and Eli quickly started the engine and began pulling onto the road. Clare looked out the window to see her two very angry parents searching for their daughter at the church doors  
>"Faster, drive faster!" She yelled at him and he smirked deviously<br>"As you wish, my angel." And at that he hit down hard on the gas petal sending her flying back into the seat by the force. She laughed, stuck her head out the window and laughed even harder and her fist shaking and yelling parents calling after them. Once they were far enough away , he pulled over to the side  
>"Clare.." Eli said and she stuck her head back in.<br>"Yes?" He pulled her in and placed his lips onto hers. She giggled into the kiss and it only made Eli love her more. Everything seemed right in his world now.

They were together once more.


End file.
